H.E. Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif, EGH, today led a high-level delegation from the County Government of Mandera to the Kenya–Ethiopia Borderlands Infrastructure Meeting held at the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, H.E. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, EGH.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the World Bank, the North Eastern Development Initiative (NEDI), the State Department for Irrigation, and the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), among others.
Convened by the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, the meeting aimed to engage the IGAD Technical and Diplomatic Mission on cross-border infrastructure development, water and irrigation, energy, and trade facilitation. The discussions sought to consolidate regional cooperation initiatives between the Republic of Kenya and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, in preparation for the anticipated signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Ethiopia Customs Commission scheduled for February 2026.
Participants were briefed on the ongoing implementation of the World Bank-funded Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project by the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and KRA. The project seeks to improve the movement of people and goods, enhance digital connectivity, and open up the Isiolo–Mandera Corridor, thereby facilitating trade and strengthening economic integration with Ethiopia and Somalia.
During the meeting, the Prime Cabinet Secretary highlighted the immense potential of the Daua River Basin Development Project in enhancing food security in Northern Kenya, noting its projected capacity to irrigate up to 1.2 million acres of farmland.
In his remarks, Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif underscored the strategic importance of the project in opening up cross-border trade and improving regional connectivity. He emphasized the urgent need for border-area electrification and the optimal utilization of the Daua River Basin for irrigation, domestic water supply, and hydropower generation as critical interventions to mitigate the effects of recurrent drought in Mandera County.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary, State Department for Irrigation, Mr. Ephantus Kimotho, CBS; Mandera Deputy Governor, H.E. Dr. Ali Maalim; Head of the IGAD Mission to Kenya, H.E. Dr. Fatuma Adan; NEDI Coordinator, Hon. Mohamed Guled; KPLC General Manager for Power Planning, Mr. John Ihuthia; KPLC General Manager for Network Management, Eng. David Syengo; County Secretary, Mr. Billow Issack, OGW; Hon. Adan Maalim Abdullahi, Advisor to the Governor; and Ms. Susan Gichuhi, Director, Nairobi Liaison Office.
